Inhambane

Mozambique is different again. Cross the border & the whole vibe changes. South African people are mainly black with a minority of white people. Mozambicans are mainly black with a minority of brown people – that is Indians. White people (so far) are scarce. Socially, it also “feels” less divided. In South Africa the difference between the rich (all colours) & the poor is a cliff edge. Here outwardly it feels like the divides are less dramatic. I passed town after town on the road up the coast. All had street markets with colourful clothes, fruits, trades & people just getting on with their lives. Mothers carrying their babies in blankets on their backs whilst also balancing precarious loads on their heads. The men watch & talk.

I was heading for Imhambane, a town situated on a peninsula surrounded by fine beaches & bays. Given I was on the starship enterprise heading into dunes I was hoping (praying more like) that tarmac paved the way. This is a heavyweight of a bike with road tyres so sand is not its forte. 99% of the way (c. 500K) I was ok. Last section was sand – deep in places. The experience was very similar to a bucking bronco ride with the added fun that this quarter tonne bronco falls over. Sweating, steaming & swearing, I arrived. I kicked the side stand down, the bike sank & leaned over like the Titanic. I caught it but decided there are then that I would be walking for the next few days.

Imhambane & the surrounding area is a favourite with divers. I was staying on the Barra peninsula which has a dive school. Given I’d  long since done any diving & decided I was better off to snorkel. The prize is to see whale sharks which are apparently common in the area. I tagged along with a group of German dentistry students from Hamburg. To launch the inflatable you have to get it over the waves. The wind had picked up & the waves were crashing onto the shore. We struggled. The inflatable holds c.20. I was holding on to try & steady the boat with the other guys as the frauleins threw themselves on board. After much wrestling the boat was listing enable to cope with mountains of German flesh & water on board. We decided to try again the following day.

Day 2 was calmer. Bouncing along at the back of the inflatable everyone was happily scanning the horizon looking for large dark things in the water. In the far distance, a brief spout of water & a shape looked promising. In the open sea we proceeded to circle & wait. After two hours, I was rough. The German group had offered sea sickness gum which I was chewing vigorously. We spotted a school of dolphins who were just checking us out, circulated & left. I got in & snorkeled but was too sick to go far. By the end of the trip, I was green, slowly walked in zig zags up the beach & went for a lie down. The whale sharks will have to get by without me.